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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Radio and cigarette lighter fitting

Hi All,

I am fitting an original radio console to my 1978, 1500 midget. I want to refit a radio into it,I also want to fit a cigarette lighter as the console has the hole already in it. I have found two red wires which were connected to the old radio. One of these I know comes from the battery the other from the ignition. I also have two speaker cables. The radio I am fitting has cables marked battery, ignition and earth. I cant see an earth cable any where do I need one? Can anyone tell me how to go about fitting a radio and also the cigarette lighter. There is a clock which I want to take out this has three cables can I use the three cable? Would be grateful for any help.

Regards

Joe K
J J KEAN

Just so happens I am looking at wiring in a cigar lighter for my phone power so have been looking at the wiring diagrams for this.

As far as I can see there is supposed to be a red and white wire in the loom under the dash somewhere coming from the ignition switch for the radio. (The radio was an optional extra). This wire is live when the ignition is on and not when the ignition is off. The reason is so that you can't leave the radio or the cigar lighter on when the key is not in the ignition, saving the battery. All electrical circuits are completed in these cars by connecting the negative to the body(ideally search for where another wire is attached to the body and add this or attach anywhere to good metal that is a main part of the body you can make good contact to (no paint).

I don't understand what the third wire on this is for and would certainly not assume it is anything to do with the radio or cigar lighter.

The best wiring diagram to look at is in the drivers handbook and so far I have found the one for the 78 that's in Haynes is exactly the same.
Dave Squire (1500)

Hi Joe,

A 78 Midget should be wired up for a a simple radio and if yrs has the console from new the cig lighter wiring will be there.


You should have a purple wire(batt live from fuse), a red/white, live from the panel lamp circuit and a black wire, which is the earth.


The OE radio feed is green/pink (from memory} live with key in acc pos.


Hope that helps a bit.

Regards Steve
SR Smith 1

Thanks Dave and Thanks Steve Both very helpful. I will have a good look at weekend all making a bit more sense now.

Regards

Joe
J J KEAN

I think the 3rd wire is for a small over the consel lamp...kind of looks like an old 50s pixlar desk lamp...I cant say this as fact just a guess

A great grounding point ive found is the brakets for the steering column...or drill a hole in the bulkhead and connect to the negitive battry cable

Make sure you use an in line 10A fuse for the radio and a 20A in line fuse for the cig lighter

Prop

Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Hi ,

The car should be wired for an interior lamp.

Purple.................batt live from the fuse.



Purple/white...........switched earth from the door pillar switches.



Black...........earth.


Rather than drill any new holes, just substitute a 4 way snap connector in the cig lighter or interior lamp wiring and use that.
SR Smith 1

Hi again Steve, Interior lamp still connected and working thanks. Not had chance to check things out this weekend. Thanks again. Regards Joe.
J J KEAN

This thread was discussed between 12/06/2013 and 15/06/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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